About this book

Computation is now an everyday tool used by life scientists to process and make sense of an ever increasing amount of data being accumulated on living systems. These data include the 3-dimensional structures of proteins, DNA, RNA and their complexes. Structural Bioinformatics is the field of study which attempts to make sense of how these complex molecules collectively operate to control all of life's processes. The second edition of this successful text expands on the depth and scope of the topic by bringing together many of the world's experts to provide a view of the current state of the field suitable for advanced undergraduate students, graduate students and beyond.

The book begins with a description of the principles of protein, DNA and RNA structure, the methods used to collect the data, and how the data are represented, visualized and stored. With these prerequisites the comparative analysis of structure reveals classification schemes and how they are used in studies ranging from evolution to structure prediction. The physical properties of structure are explored to understand, for example, how macromolecules move and interact with each other and with ligands, offering insights into how drug discovery is undertaken and how structure can provide the details needed to understand complex molecular interactions important in fields such as immunology and systems biology.

Finally, structural genomics reveals insight into the future role of structural bioinformatics where features, including function, are systematically assigned and the structural basis of complete organisms begin to emerge.

Offering a detailed coverage for practitioners but remaining accessible to the novice, Structural Bioinformatics, Second Edition is a valuable and excellent textbook for readers in the bioinformatics and advanced biology fields, and on the best way to become a classic reference for all interested parties (educators, researchers and graduate students. (Advances in Food Sciences, 2011)